Footbridges are not safe, says Motorists Association of Kenya

The Motorists Association of Kenya has demanded the removal of adverts mounted on footbridges.

The association’s chairman Peter Murima said the adverts made the walkways dark and, hence, a hideout for criminals.

Murima said the National Transport and Safety Authority must ensure that the footbridges are well lit to ensure security of the pedestrians.

His concerns come just days after the NTSA conducted a swoop within Nairobi, aimed at ensuring that people used footbridges and not informal crossings.

The NTSA officials and police officers arrested several pedestrians along Landies Road near Muthurwa market and in Kasarani last week. Those arrested were crossing the roads without using the footbridges and were charged at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.

Some pedestrians said they avoided footbridges as they feared being mugged. Street children use the footbridge at Landies Road as their resting place and urinal.

Murima said even though the NTSA’s efforts to encourage pedestrians to use footbridges were long overdue, the agency should make the facilities safe and user friendly.

“Footbridges are key not only to pedestrians in terms of safety but also to motorists,” he said, “the adverts mounted on the bridges also distract drivers.”

NTSA chairman Lee Kinyanjui said street children have taken over the footbridges because pedestrians don’t use them. He also said the agency will seek funds to build more footbridges and make existing ones safer.